


Sleuthing

by ClockworkDinosaur



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, Post-Sburb/Sgrub, Stakeout
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-09
Packaged: 2018-08-30 01:58:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8514292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClockworkDinosaur/pseuds/ClockworkDinosaur
Summary: Jane was on a case alone when suddenly Terezi was there.





	

**Author's Note:**

> some bisexual gals in this trying time
> 
> Janerezi is my favorite rarepair and i'll go down with it fighting
> 
> this is my first time writing this ship but i don't think it will be my last. also i started writing this before the credits were released so that's why Rezi is there and not in ~The Void~

The stars were the only illumination in Can Town that late at night, glinting off of shiny metal walls and showing just how asleep the city was. Jane stood among the trees that bordered the town, her fedora pulled down low over her face, watching one of the buildings critically.

She was so focused, she didn't hear the soft sound of approaching footsteps behind her.

“Hey, Icing,” a harsh whisper blowing warm breath directly into Jane's ear. She yelped and spun around to face Terezi, her maniacal grin practically glowing in the darkness.

“Goodness, Pyrope! You nearly scared the life out of me,” Jane said, a hand to her chest as she glared at Terezi. Her sharp-toothed smile only widened.

“What are you doing out here so late at night?” Terezi asked, her arms crossed.

“I'm on a case. Also, why _Icing?_ ” she threw her own question before Terezi could ask for details about her case.

Terezi shrugged. “You smell like sugary cake icing. I bet you taste just as sweet.”

Feeling heat rise to her cheeks, Jane turned away. “Well, that's... certainly something I suppose. But now I'm afraid I really need to focus on my task at hand.”

“What's the task?” Terezi asked, standing next to Jane and sniffing the air.

Jane hesitated. Terezi was on the same side of the law she was, it couldn’t hurt to tell her the barest details, she decided.

“I'm sleuthing. Watching for any signs of suspicious criminal activity,” she whispered.

“Who are we watching?”

“It's not _who_ I'm watching, it's _what._ I'm watching the library for Rose and Kanaya, making sure nobody tries to break in and cause trouble,” Jane said. Terezi tilted her head.

“I'm going to help,” she said with a decisive nod. Jane rolled her eyes.

“Sorry buster, get your own case,” she said, crossing her arms.

“But Icing-”

“ _Jane._ My name is Jane, Terezi. You know this.”

“But Icing, every good detective needs a lawyer on her side, to help scope things out and tell her what's legal. Keep her on the side of _justice,_ so she doesn't fall pray to the very criminal wiles that she was against in the first place!” Terezi said passionately.

There was no convincing Terezi to drop the idea, and admittedly having a partner would be nice. With a sigh. Jane nodded.

“Fine. You can help me with this case.”

Terezi grinned, and for once it seemed completely genuine and not mad or intimidating. Leaning against a nearby tree, Terezi began listening intently, occasionally sniffing the air as breezes brought new scents her way. Jane watched the library dutifully, but frequently found her eyes drawn to where Terezi stood.

The shadows underneath the canopy seemed to camouflage her against the trees almost perfectly, only the barest light reflecting off of her red glasses giving her position away. Occasionally, there was a sniff or a low growl that Jane assumed was somewhat involuntary, but otherwise she was silent.

Until she chuckled.

“I may be blind but I can still feel your eyes on me, Icing,” Terezi said, a teasing tone in her voice.

“I'm just... curious,” Jane said, looking away.

“Curious about...?”

Jane scrambled for a question, her mind suddenly blank. “About what brought you out here in the middle of the night,” she managed.

Terezi didn't reply for a few moments. “A lot is on my mind,” she said eventually. “I took a walk. Smelled something sweet and out of place and found you.” The usual harshness of her voice was replaced by something that bordered on melancholy.

“Is everything alright?” Jane asked, concerned.

“Good question,” was all she replied. The harshness of her voice was dulled, and Jane decided it was best not to pry.

It was quiet again. Jane's eyes were turned to the library but her mind was miles away.

She and Terezi had never talked much before. In fact, Terezi didn't seem to talk to anyone very often. She had her home deep in the woods and seemed content to be on her own. She traveled into town on occasion, but seemed to visit with other trolls more often than anyone. Admittedly, Jane was curious about her. A few more minutes of quiet passed before Jane spoke again.

“So, a lawyer, hm?”

Terezi nodded. “Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a... _lawyer._ That's a really stupid human word and they don't really do all of the same things, but that's basically it. I wanted to be a Legislacerator. Your human legal system doesn't have an _exact_ counterpart. But I've always wanted to fight for justice.” She flashed her teeth.

“I've always wanted to put goons in their place! Working behind the scenes, trailing baddies, all sorts of things that any self-respecting gumshoe gets up to,” Jane said excitedly.

“Yes! Catch them, interrogate them until they admit their guilt, then hang the scum for their crimes,” Terezi said fiercely. Jane raised an eyebrow.

“Well, maybe not quite like that...”

Terezi pouted. “No fun.”

“Innocent until proven guilty and all,” Jane said. Terezi gave her an odd look.

“What kind of human bullshit is that? _Obviously_ if there's someone tailing you, you're guilty. If you're wanted, you're as good as hanged.”

Jane stared. “The troll legal system seems a tad unfair.”

“It was incredibly fair!” Terezi argued. “What kind of system puts innocent people into a courtblock? Might as well throw them into a pit of ravenous barkbeasts.”

“I think human courtrooms and troll _courtblocks_ must have been pretty different. But I'm not involved with that aspect of the law anyway. I'm the one who makes sure no innocent people are put in there in the first place,” Jane said.

“Admirable,” Terezi said. “I don't see what catching criminals has to do with watching the library through.”

Jane frowned. “Well, it's not like there's a lot of crime going on anyway. The only reason I'm out here is because apparently Dave and John have been setting up pranks at night. I need to stop them before they get to the library, catch them red-handed if they try and do something.”

“Hmm,” Terezi said. “I assume we won't be hanging them?” Jane opened her mouth for an indignant reply before Terezi lowered her glasses and winked. Jane laughed.

“Nope, sorry!”

“A shame,” Terezi said.

Another giggle and Terezi pushed herself from her casual leaning position against the tree. She stood right next to Jane and looked towards the library critically. Jane found herself flustered by the sudden proximity. She cleared her throat and glanced at her watch.

“Oh shucks,” she said with a frown. “The shift is over.”

Terezi turned to her with a pout. “But I was enjoying myself,” she said.

Jane was almost surprised to find herself agreeing wholeheartedly.

“Well... I have another case in a few days,” Jane said slowly, her hands fidgeting shyly. “Would you like to accompany me?”

A second passed before Terezi smirked and nodded. “Consider it a date, Icing.”

Before Jane could decode the meaning of the word date, Terezi planted a kiss on Jane's cheek.

“Just as sweet as I imagined,” she whispered in Jane's ear before turning with a laugh and making her way through the trees.

Jane watched her go with an excitedly fluttering heart and wondered if she had found a partner in more than one sense.

 


End file.
